A History of Innocence
by liketolaugh
Summary: In the Wizarding World, Innocence isn't as obvious, nor as earth-shaking as it is in the Muggle World. Still, when it does appear, it has a strong, long-lasting influence, something Allen discovers when he goes there to ward off akuma and search for Innocence.
1. Surprise on Day One

**A/N: Aaaannnndd a new story. Yes, I know, I know. On the other hand, I did close up one of my old ones, finally. So that makes up for it, right? *hopeful smile* And yes, a virtually unexplained long absence followed by a breech into a new fandom. Sorry. *shrug* Hope you like this! This, by the way, is a modern AU for D. Gray-man, because unlike Ciel, Allen is thirty years older than Dumbledore and that's just not okay. Even if his hair is just as white.**

**Title: A History of Innocence**

**Author: liketolaugh**

**Rating: T**

**Pairings: None at present**

**Genre: Drama/Mystery**

**Warnings: Modern AU for D. Gray-man**

**Summary: In the Wizarding World, Innocence isn't as obvious, nor as earth-shaking as it is in the Muggle World. Still, when it does appear, it has a strong, long-lasting influence, something Allen discovers when he goes there to ward off akuma and search for Innocence.**

**Disclaimer: I only wish I owned D. Gray-man**

* * *

Excited chatter rolled and crashed over the crowd of travelling students, herded together in a roiling mass, shadows flickering and waving in the semidarkness.

"-and he said that he didn't hear I thing, but I know he was listening-"

"I'm _so _nervous, what if the classes are too difficult, Janie?"

"I hear that OWL year is really difficult-"

"Oh, no, oh, no, I'm not sure I can do this, I'm far too stupid to be taking NEWT classes, I'm sure of it-"

"Veronica? Veronica, I'm sorry about your mother-"

A blonde girl looked with concern at her unnaturally impassive black-haired friend, who had her head slightly dropped, eyes downcast.

But then the girl smiled slightly.

"Veronica?"

That was all the blonde girl managed to get out before the skin down Veronica's forehead suddenly split, and she screamed, drawing the attention of the rest of the students in the process.

From the girl's head, a creature, giant and black and grey and white, had sprung, massive, smiling grotesquely, with a sense of despair hanging about it almost like a dementor, but far, far scarier, with its round body scattered with ominous-looking tubes.

Chaos erupted, frantic, frightened students pushing at each other, trying to get away, while a few, almost all in higher years, remained behind, wands out, most shaking, some not.

The blonde girl had backed up, eyes wide and terrified, and an older girl grabbed her arm, pulling her behind and firing the first spell.

"Someone get the professors!" yelled a boy, joining the girl and firing a blasting curse that hardly even seemed to affect it.

Someone had obviously heard him, because a smooth otter patronus burst from the mass of students and flew toward the castle, blurring with desperation and determination. In seconds, it had reached the castle, and a reply came back, in the form of a glowing phoenix, wise and soothing.

_"Protect the younger years, we will come as quickly as we can."_

And the battle went on, not one of their spells seeming to cause more than a mild annoyance.

In the train, both Harry, in the compartment, and Malfoy, with his wand out, froze as screams rang through the distance. Harry's invisibility cloak slid off and both he and an utterly unsurprised Malfoy met gazes only briefly before Harry rolled out of the compartment and took off at a run, Malfoy only a few steps behind him, not chasing him, but following.

It didn't take long for the cause of the commotion to become apparent: moments after stepping off the train, a horrendous creature bloomed over the distance, firing violet bullets at something Harry couldn't quite make out in the rapidly falling darkness.

"Akuma," Malfoy muttered, and Harry couldn't help but agree.

They had learned about akuma from Professor Lupin in their third year, and Harry had been horrified. He'd been grateful, then, that he had been far too young to be able to make an akuma, and, watching the thing, frightening even from afar, he felt that gratitude return tenfold.

They had not gone over how one could be defeated, covering only a sort of specialist group, known only as the Black Order, who took care of all akuma.

Harry didn't wait for Malfoy before taking off running again, toward where he could see the battle. Drawing near, he could see Dumbledore, together with Professor McGonagall, Flitwick, and Snape, all trying to take down the towering creature, with limited success.

_"Deprimo!" _Dumbledore commanded, sending the curse sailing through the air and knocking back the akuma, scuffing it. A moment later, he dodged away from a bullet.

_"Confringo!" _Snape snapped out, flicking the explosive curse at the creature, and creating a similar effect to Dumbledore's Deprimo.

"Dumbledore!" hissed McGonagall, gaze darting to the older man for a moment before going back and sending another curse that knocked the creature back.

Despite her saying nothing more than that, Dumbledore seemed to understand, and nodded thoughtfully. "Yes, I do believe that would work." He aimed more carefully this time, something Harry thought vaguely was completely unnecessary on a creature larger than the broad side of a barn, and incanted firmly, _"Defodio."_

The spell sailed straight into one of the tubes, and created a noticeably larger effect, the akuma letting out a sharp cry and reeling back.

Snape gave Dumbledore a curt nod and Flitwick gave an affirmative squeak. Together, almost as one, they took aim again. _"Deprimo!"_

Each one of the spells shot toward the huge creature simultaneously and entered one of its many tubes. The creature shook for a moment, bobbing and screaming and thrashing, before finally blowing up violently, dissolving into dust.

Slowly, the professors lowered the wands, letting out soft sighs of relief as a great cheer erupted from those students that still remained.

Komui rubbed his chin thoughtfully, listening and nodding along to Dumbledore's words as he kneeled in front of the fireplace. "A parasitic type, you say?"

Dumbledore nodded gravely. "If you could. I am very well aware that you are as busy with your war as we are with ours, but I believe that this is of vital importance."

Komui nodded, maintaining seriousness. "But why a parasitic type?"

"You are aware that Innocence is perhaps the rawest form of magic one can find?"

Komui nodded again, silently prompting the elderly Headmaster to go on.

"Parasitic type users would have the easiest time channeling this Innocence into a wand, converting it into a form useable as magic. While it would still be quite challenging, I do believe that it would be possible." Dumbledore gave the younger man a weary smile, a twinkle in his eyes even through the flickering fire.

Komui nodded yet again, looking thoughtful. "Yes, yes, that does make sense. I think I know just the person, actually."

Dumbledore relaxed, looking relieved. "Do you indeed?" he asked, half-hopeful. "I do apologize for imposing as I am, but…"

Komui smiled at him, waving a hand dismissively. "Not at all, Dumbledore. Actually, this solves a problem I have been pondering for some time now. After all…" He chuckled wryly. "The Wizarding World is every bit as likely to have Innocence as the normal one, but how can one find strange happenings in a place where strangeness is the norm? If I send an exorcist into the Wizarding World, that problem is all but solved."

Dumbledore chuckled, smiling. "Ah, I understand. Incredibly well thought out, as always, Komui."

"Some might disagree," Reever grunted, coming up to them with a towering stack of paperwork. "Chief, I need you to sign off on these, understand?" He peeked out from behind the trembling papers, glowering halfheartedly at Komui.

Komui gave it a mildly horrified look and then pretended not to have heard, turning back to Dumbledore, who looked more amused than anything. "As I said, I know just the person for this."

"Do tell me," Dumbledore prompted, smiling with a twinkle in his eyes as he watched Reever let out an annoyed huff.

"Allen Walker."

* * *

**So I hope you liked that and that you don't think that the premise is too shaky. It solidifies a bit later, I swear. Meanwhile, please review! I want to know what you think!**


	2. Shaky Starts

**A/N: .2013 made me laugh. So I'm posting this now. That's like, the only reason. *snicker***

**Title: A History of Innocence**

**Author: liketolaugh**

**Rating: T**

**Pairings: None at present**

**Genre: Drama/Mystery**

**Warnings: Modern AU for D. Gray-man**

**Summary: In the Wizarding World, Innocence isn't as obvious, nor as earth-shaking as it is in the Muggle World. Still, when it does appear, it has a strong, long-lasting influence, something Allen discovers when he goes there to ward off akuma and search for Innocence.**

**Disclaimer: I only wish I owned D. Gray-man**

* * *

"Komui?" Allen questioned, peeking into Komui's office.

Komui looked up from his procrastination and brightened instantly. "Ah, Allen! Do come in!"

Allen entered cautiously, looking around for any new Komulins. "You said something about a mission?" he prompted, still looking around, before finally letting his questioning gaze settle on Komui.

Komui nodded, looking unaccountably cheerful. "I did indeed! You, Allen, are going to go on a mission to the Wizarding World. Not just that-" He grinned, a little mischievously. "But this mission of yours is based in Hogwarts."

Allen yelped.

While finders and exorcists alike were informed about the Wizarding World as a matter of course – after all, when you routinely searched for strange happenings, you were bound to stumble across wizards more often than not – he had only run across them once, and hadn't really expected to again.

"But, chief Komui-" he protested.

"The headmaster of the school requested you himself," Komui pushed, deliberately bending the truth more than a little. "We do need an exorcist there, and he tells me that the Innocence in your arm can be channeled through a wand and used as magic, so that's no problem at all."

The protests that he wasn't a wizard died on Allen's lips. "I don't know any magic," he tried, more feebly now, shifting uncomfortably.

"That's why Lavi there is going to teach you," Komui said, far too cheerful for Allen's taste. "Lavi?"

"Yes, sir, Komui!" Lavi said, just as cheerfully, bounding through the door. He swung an arm around Allen's shoulders and grinned at him. "You and I are going to have fun for the next few weeks, bean sprout."

Allen winced. "But what about Link?" he pushed, trying hard to edge away. "He isn't a parasitic type user. He isn't even an exorcist."

Komui's face fell in such a way that it was clear that he didn't really mind at all. "Oh, dear. I'm afraid he'll just have to stay behind, I suppose." He smiled at Allen, who stared at him with wide silver eyes. "After all, this is such a very _important _mission that it simply must be done, and I'm afraid you're the only one who qualifies. It can't be helped, I suppose."

And Allen smiled.

First, as it turned out, they had to visit a place Lavi called Diagon Alley, where Lavi dragged Allen through every store imaginable, and then some, getting all sorts of things that just left the white-haired boy confused. Link, who disliked wizarding magic on principle (Allen suspected the Vatican for that one), trailed one step behind, refusing to speak. Allen thought he was sulking, and nearly said as much, but thought better of it.

The first place they went was the bank.

"Better check to see if you've got a vault first, bean sprout, even if it's pretty unlikely," Lavi explained to him, dragging him toward the marble building, ignoring Allen as the white-haired boy stared up at it, wide-eyed. "Since you don't know your birth parents."

Allen nodded reluctantly, following after to avoid being dragged too badly. "Yeah, yeah, I get it," he agreed, not entirely paying attention. Then, as an afterthought, "And my name is _Allen!"_

Lavi just laughed at him.

They came to a halt in front of a goblin manager, and Lavi said importantly, apparently taking it upon himself to speak for Allen while in Diagon Alley,

"My friend Allen here," he rubbed the top of Allen's head, earning himself a protest, "would like to get tested to see if he's inherited a vault."

"Lavi!" complained Allen, but the goblin just grunted. Apparently, the request wasn't as unusual as Allen would have thought. Or maybe he was just gruff, Allen wasn't sure.

"One moment please." He turned. Allen assumed he'd pressed a button or something, because a goblin appeared just a moment later. The goblin turned back to them. "Viceclaw will take you to be seen to. The Bookman and the Crow will stay here." He eyed Lavi distrustfully while Link scowled, muttering something unkind about goblins.

Lavi rubbed his head with a groan. "Aw, man!" he complained.

Allen chuckled at him and approached the goblin. "See you in a moment, Lavi," he said over his shoulder, with a wry smile. Lavi grinned at him and Allen turned back to goblin, travelling in silence.

When they arrived, Viceclaw said so in a grunt. Allen smiled at him. "Thank you," he said, knocking on the door as the goblin nodded shortly and left. He waited for a moment, looking at the grand door, but the voice came quickly and he didn't have long to look.

"Enter."

He pushed the door open, spotting another goblin sitting behind a desk, looking at him with narrowed eyes. The little being pointed at a simple wooden chair in front of the desk.

"Sit."

Apparently goblins were fond of concise speech. Allen sat, offering the goblin a smile, though he received none in return.

The goblin nodded to the paper that sat between them, which had an ornate dagger sitting next to it.

"Slit your palm open and drip some blood onto the parchment," he said gruffly. "If you have inherited any vaults, they will be spelled out on the parchment."

Allen nodded and eyed the blade warily for a moment, before removing his glove, picking the dagger up, and, after a brief moment of hesitation, slicing into his palm, hissing slightly. The goblin gave no reaction. Allen held the injured palm over the parchment and watched blood drip onto it.

"Creepy," Allen muttered under his breath.

He waited for one moment, two, and then, to his surprise, the red formed a single line of text, simple and succinct.

_Vault 114: Neah Walker_

The goblin leaned over and nodded shortly. "You possess one vault," he informed a surprised Allen, who withdrew his hand, cradling it absently even as the cut healed magically. "Most likely, you are the only remaining relative of one Neah Walker, or, possibly, he willed the vault to you. Regardless, it is yours." He pulled a key seemingly out of nowhere and held it out to Allen, who took it numbly.

Who was Neah Walker?

With a flash of realization, his eyes widened. Walker…

_The 14th had an older brother: Mana Walker._

"Thank you, sir," he finally managed, and the goblin nodded. Allen took the nod as it was meant and left, returning to the front, where Lavi was waiting, lounging against the wall.

"You got anything?" Lavi called as soon as he saw his white-haired friend.

Allen gave him a small smile and a nod, holding up the key. "Yeah," he said quietly, half his mind still on the 14th, who now had a name in his mind.

Lavi grinned at him. "Great!" he exclaimed, clapping Allen on the back, and directing him back to the front desk, where he addressed another goblin, while Allen stared down at his key, wondering.

Too many visits to shops later, they were almost done, and the chaos had all but shoved the mysterious Neah Walker to the back of Allen's suddenly overcrowded mind.

"And finally, your wand!" Lavi declared triumphantly, standing Allen in front of a store called 'Jimmy Kiddell's Wonderful Wands'. "I'd've liked to take you to Ollivanders, but he closed down a couple weeks ago. Nabbed by Death Eaters, I heard." He grimaced for a moment, but the smile returned as quick as it vanished as he pushed Allen into the store. "Go on in, then!"

Allen stumbled through the door with a protest, but straightened up as a man hurried to the counter, giving Allen a salesman's smile. "Welcome, my boy!" he greeted cheerily, eyes flickering with surprise at Allen's admittedly strange appearance. "Bit late for a new wand, isn't it?"

Allen gave him an uncomfortable smile. "Yes, I suppose so, sir. It's actually a bit complicated."

"Oh, is it?" The man, presumably Jimmy, gave Allen an intent look before turning to start taking down boxes, seemingly at random. "What sort of circumstances?"

Lavi swung his arm around Allen's shoulders again, grinning at the shorter boy. "Bean sprout's on a special mission for the Black Order," he explained to the man with an easy grin, ignoring Allen's mutter of 'My name is _Allen'. _"He needs a wand for it."

Jimmy looked over, giving them a slightly startled look with new eyes. "Oh. I see." He put the wands that he'd just been taking down away, seemingly dismissing them already. "A parasitic type user, correct? Well, that's a whole different story, and a much rarer one." He hurried towards the back of his store, returning a moment later with a large stack of wand cases, looking a little more flustered. "Here, try these."

Allen cautiously opened the first box and picked up the wand, which looked thick and sturdy, then looked at the wandmaker questioningly. "What exactly am I supposed to do?" he prodded.

"Well, a wizard would just give it a wave," Jimmy said thoughtfully. "A parasitic type user… I do believe that your Innocence will react to the correct one. Touch it to that."

Allen shot Lavi a Look, but then placed the wand back down and tugged off his glove, glancing up uneasily at Jimmy's sharp breath. But he picked the wand back up. No reaction occurred.

Jimmy sighed and nodded. "Go on, then," he said encouragingly. "Next wand."

Allen nodded reluctantly and put it away, reaching for the next one.

And the next one.

And the next one.

By the thirteenth wand, even Jimmy was beginning to look a little doubtful of his theory, but Allen picked up the last wand in the pile, and the cross on the back of his hand flared with a blazing green light, which quickly died down to a soft shimmer as he held onto the wand. He looked up to Jimmy with a smile.

Jimmy looked both relieved and delighted. "Excellent! That'll be your wand, then. Dogwood and hippogriff feather, twelve and a half inches, sturdy as a stick of metal. Nine galleons, please."

Allen smiled and nodded, quickly counting out the money and giving it to him, trying not to notice Link taking careful note of his wand. "Thank you, sir," he told the man.

"No problem at all!" Jimmy beamed, collecting the boxes to return to their places.

"Now that that's taken care of," Lavi said, clapping Allen on the shoulder. Allen turned his head to give him a slightly confused look. Lavi gave him a somewhat predatory grin. "You've got some learning to do."

Allen gulped.

* * *

**This chapter bothers me for some reason. Future chapters will be better, I swear. The next one should be the last one so shaky. Again, please don't scrutinize it, as it may not hold up. *grimace* Jimmy Kiddell is a canon character. Well, kind of. I went and looked up other wandmakers, and this was the only one that popped up for Harry Potter's time. I figured making a past Ollivander pop mysteriously back up would be inadvisable, so this is what I put out. Please review!**


	3. A Wizard's Wand (is not for an Exorcist)

**A/N: Aaannnd I'm bored because Snow Days' update isn't getting the response I was hoping for, and I'm pretty sure this will. Enjoy!**

**Title: A History of Innocence**

**Author: liketolaugh**

**Rating: T**

**Pairings: None at present**

**Genre: Drama/Mystery**

**Warnings: Modern AU for D. Gray-man**

**Summary: In the Wizarding World, Innocence isn't as obvious, nor as earth-shaking as it is in the Muggle World. Still, when it does appear, it has a strong, long-lasting influence, something Allen discovers when he goes there to ward off akuma and search for Innocence.**

**Disclaimer: I only wish I owned D. Gray-man**

* * *

As it turned out, he didn't actually have to learn four years' worth of material in the three weeks before his mission began in October, a month into their school year.

Privately, Allen thought that that was going to be very awkward.

"Y'see, bean sprout," Lavi explained, as Allen fervently pored over the book he'd been given. "You don't actually need to know what they've learned, you just need to _seem _like you do. You only need to know enough to keep up with the class."

It also turned out that Lavi was a very good teacher.

Allen was very, very grateful for that, because he wasn't a very good student, seeing as the only formal education he'd ever gotten had been while he was with Mana.

The hard part, Lavi warned him, was going to be getting his wand to work.

"Wizards are made for wanded magic," Lavi explained, this time with Allen's full attention. "Their magic is pretty diluted, all things considered. Innocence is far rawer, more uncontrollable. It's… well, you know." No exorcist had ever really successfully described Innocence, its wildness, its strength, and, as almost every exorcist had privately thought at least once, how it almost seemed to have a mind of its own at times, seemed to be almost _sentient. _"Magic is a lot tamer than that. Even wizards need a wand to refine their magic into an easily useable form, though. For you, a wand isn't quite enough for that. It's going to come out as something that's basically a wizard's core magic – wandless magic."

"Isn't that supposed to be hard?" Allen asked gingerly.

Lavi grinned.

"Well, then it's a good thing that you've got a strong will, eh, bean sprout?"

Allen and Lavi were sitting cross-legged across from each other. Allen wore an expression of intense concentration, while Lavi's face was uncharacteristically serious, his eyes on Allen.

"Focus on your Innocence," Lavi coached, voice low, scarcely touching the silence hanging in the air. "Feel the underlying energy of it. It is a part of you and is yours to use, but it also has a will of its own."

This was not the first time they had done this. So far, Allen had had no success, but his determination remained untouched. At the moment, the green glow of Innocence danced at his fingertips, sparks cracking and flashing through the air, but none entered the wand he held.

"Feel the will of your Innocence," Lavi continued, voice soft and almost hypnotic. "Feel its tug, its desire to help, the yearn for the hunt. Now remember that your Innocence is your own."

This was where Allen always had trouble, Lavi recalled, but he pressed on, unrelenting. Allen had to get it.

"Control your Innocence." Lavi's voice, while still not harsh enough to shatter the silence, was firmer now, almost commanding. "It is yours; impose your will over it and make it obey your command. It will follow you to the ends of the earth. Take that loyalty and use it. Now command it: _Lumos!"_

_"Lumos!" _Allen commanded, fingers of his left hand tightening around the handle of his wand, silver eyes narrowed and focused on the tip.

And for the first time, a snap of green sparked from his fingertips and actually entered the wood of the wand. A moment later, light blazed from its tip, bright and blinding.

"Ah!" Lavi yelped, all hypnotic qualities gone from his voice as he raised one hand to shield his eyes. "Nox, beansprout, nox!"

_"Nox!" _Allen said hastily, and the light died away.

For a moment, both of them just stared at each other, a little wide-eyed. Then Lavi broke out in a grin and leaned over to clap Allen on the shoulder.

"Congratulations, beansprout," he said cheerfully. "You just successfully cast your first spell."

Allen blinked, once, twice, and then, slowly, smiled.

"Now what we need to do is minimize that green light effect, that'd freak the wizards out a little…"

And so that continued on, Lavi cramming as much information into Allen's head as he could take, and then some. Finally, on September 30th, Lavi leaned back, satisfied, and stretched, his arms arching over his head.

"Well, you'll never be top of your class, but you'll pass as a wizard, sprout."

He heard a muffled mumble of 'my name is Allen' from the hunched over boy, who was holding his head in his hands as he moaned unhappily. Lavi chuckled.

"Yeah, you'll do fine."

The next day, Allen finished his breakfast quickly, even for him.

"Today you finally start your mission, right?" Lenalee asked him.

It was rare that a mission required preparation; a full month of it was almost unheard of. A long-term mission, though, was even rarer, especially for exorcists. Allen was embarrassed to note that, in the time just the mission prep had taken, Lenalee alone had taken on and completed three missions, and Kanda twice that many. Allen knew that, by the time he was finished with this one mission, everyone else will have completed many more.

"Yeah," Allen confirmed, sitting up a little and smiling slightly. "I'm supposed to meet the Headmaster in Komui's office once I've finished."

Lenalee smiled, slightly wistful. "I can't believe you're learning _magic, _Allen. I'm a little jealous."

Allen smiled at her and offered, "Want me to bring you something back?"

She brightened slightly and nodded.

Allen smiled, but it soon faded and he sighed, pushing up from the table. "I should probably go," he told her.

Lenalee nodded and smiled up at him. Then, unexpectedly, her expression morphed into a slight glare and she lashed out, fist landing a blow on his leg. Hard.

"Ow!" Allen yelped, jumping away and clutching at his leg. "What was that for?"

"Don't get yourself hurt while you're out there!" she warned him crossly. "I won't forgive you if you do!"

"I won't, you didn't have to _hit _me!" He huffed and let go of his leg. "See you in a few months, Lenalee." Some of the exorcists would come to check in come Hogwarts' Easter break, and Lenalee had already requested that she be one of them.

Lenalee smiled at him, a little sadly. "See you then."

Allen smiled, turned, and left, the door shutting behind him with a sense of finality.

* * *

**There we go. I'm going to stop complaining of dissatisfaction, it's entirely my fault anyway... *grumble grumble* So I hope you at least liked it and please review!**


	4. To Never Be Alone

**A/N: Another chapter! I think this is the last completely pre-written one... Ah, well. I can manage just as well writing as I go. That's what I normally do anyway. *shrug***

**Title: A History of Innocence**

**Author: liketolaugh**

**Rating: T**

**Pairings: None at present**

**Genre: Drama/Mystery**

**Warnings: Modern AU for D. Gray-man**

**Summary: In the Wizarding World, Innocence isn't as obvious, nor as earth-shaking as it is in the Muggle World. Still, when it does appear, it has a strong, long-lasting influence, something Allen discovers when he goes there to ward off akuma and search for Innocence.**

**Disclaimer: I only wish I owned D. Gray-man**

* * *

"Ah, would this be the young Mr. Walker?"

Allen let the door swing shut behind him as his eyes took in the other occupants of the room.

Komui stood beside a tall old man, straight and proud and as if it was taking every bit of his self-control. The old man – Dumbledore, Allen recalled – was the one who had spoken, looking at him with benevolent interest.

The third occupant, though, surprised him.

"Yep, that's the beansprout," Lavi confirmed happily. "Hey, Allen!"

Allen tilted his head slightly, confusion reflected in his eyes. "Lavi? What are you doing here?"

"Turns out I'm going with you," Lavi explained, casually nodding at his suitcase, which sat at the foot of Komui's desk. "'Cause Link can't, you know, and Central still doesn't trust you. And Bookman wants me to watch some kid called Harry Potter while I'm there. He's in the year above you, actually."

"Mister Lavi will teach a remedial History of Magic course," Dumbledore elaborated, a merry twinkle in his blue eyes. "As our own professor has found themselves to be, ah, unable to pass a sufficient portion of the student populace."

"More like a second class, really," Lavi put in with a grin.

Dumbledore conceded the point with a smile.

"Well!" Komui clapped his hands together, ruining the dignified air he'd had. "I think that's enough stalling for today, yes?"

"Yes, I believe so," Dumbledore agreed easily, smiling at Komui. "Very well. Mr. Lavi, Mr. Walker, if you would…" He held out a hand expectantly.

Lavi bent to pick up his suitcase and put his hand inside Dumbledore's without hesitation, and Allen, suitcase held in his gloved right hand, followed seconds later with his left. Dumbledore looked down at it with a hint of surprise.

"Ah! Gloves!" Dumbledore exclaimed. "Why, I should have thought of that!"

For a moment, confusion flashed across Allen's eyes, but realization quickly followed and he looked down.

Dumbledore's other hand laid idly at his side, shriveled and black. Allen blinked and looked up at him inquisitively.

"Just an old man's foolish mistake, my dear boy," Dumbledore said apologetically, smiling sadly. "Nothing at all like your own marvelous appendage, I'm afraid. Now, then… Brace yourself."

With just that warning, Dumbledore twisted in place, and in the next moment, Allen felt like he was being squeezed through an unbearably tight tube, he couldn't see, his hearing was stifled by the rush of wind in his ears, and he tried to move but couldn't. His eyes opened wide and his mouth gaped open to gasp for air, he couldn't see, but Lavi wouldn't be able to tell, what if, what if-

The pressure released abruptly, and Allen swayed in place, air rushing into his lungs as he gasped it in, hand releasing Dumbledore's and suitcase falling to the ground. His gaze, frantic with an abrupt, irrational fear, skittered across their surroundings. After a moment, the breath escaped his lungs again, and he let his gaze drift back to Lavi and Dumbledore.

Lavi, too, had let go of Dumbledore's hand, and was currently taking deep breaths, looking like he was trying not to throw up. His hands were thrown out as if to keep his balance, suitcase lying at his feet, and his gaze, like Allen's just moments before, was warily scanning the empty street.

One green eye met Allen's silver pair with a silent question, and Allen replied with a small smile and a nod. Lavi relaxed, almost imperceptibly, and regained his balance, bending to reclaim his suitcase a moment later.

"If you two are quite satisfied with the safety of Hogsmeade," Dumbledore began, sounding, not mocking, as other may have, but honest, "we can now proceed to Hogwarts. Unless I'm much mistaken, breakfast will be beginning soon, and that will be the ideal opportunity to introduce you."

"Right," Allen agreed, uneasy.

"We'll take a little detour to my office to Sort you," he continued, smiling at the two of them as they started walking. "It's merely a formality for Mr. Lavi, of course, as he will have his own quarters."

"So who knows about us, anyway?" Lavi inserted, gesturing to himself and Allen, both clad in robes, but with the Rose Cross emblem pinned to the chest.

"The professors are aware of your true purpose here," Dumbledore answered, "as is the Order of the Phoenix, an organization I founded to combat Voldemort. However, to everyone else, you are simply transfers from an unorthodox school known as the Rose Cross Academy." He nodded to the emblems on their robes.

Allen nodded in acknowledgement, looking ahead of them thoughtfully. Right. The Rose Cross Academy was one of the Black Order's many cover stories for exorcists who needed to get into places without being suspicious. Generally, it was a cover for exorcists 'doing research for a project', but the cover story of a school for unusual forms of magic would work just as well here. It even helped explain his lack of knowledge, if his specialty laid in other areas.

Lavi dipped his head as well and flashed Dumbledore a grin. "Got it."

"Here we are," Dumbledore said suddenly, coming to a halt in front of a tall gate. "Open!"

His command rang through the early morning air, and, slowly, the huge iron gates before them creaked open, granting the trio admission into Hogwarts.

"My office," Dumbledore explained twenty minutes later, rather unnecessarily, Allen thought, gesturing to the room in which they now stood.

It was among the strangest places Allen had ever been in, and that was a list that included Road's dream world. Sleeping portraits lined the walls, and trinkets the bookshelves – some whirring, others spinning, and a few spitting out puffs of colored smoke. A bird, magnificent and regal, perched off to one side, looking at them with curious, beady black eyes. Allen looked back, just as curiously, and neither broke their stare until Dumbledore spoke again, making Allen look over to him.

"If one of you will sit on that stool there," he indicated a short, lonely-looking stool off to one side, "we may begin."

Lavi and Allen exchanged a brief glance before Allen approached the stool and sat down hesitantly.

Moments later, Dumbledore set a tattered hat on his head. For a moment, Allen waited. He didn't have to wait long, though; within moments, a voice in his head made him start violently.

_Well, you're just a special case all around, aren't you?_

_I guess, _Allen replied hesitantly. This poking around in his head made him uncomfortable. He had too many things hidden in there that were better left tucked away.

_Now, let's see… Loyalty is among your most dominant traits, and your work ethic would do you well in Hufflepuff. However, your occasional, ah, darker moments might frighten them._

_Let's not do that, _Allen thought hastily.

_Quite right. Those darker tendencies, though… You have quite a few of them, do you not? You can be quite the troublemaker when you choose, and you have a façade that you wear almost as a routine. You lie quite well and manipulate even better. And what's this?_

The next moment, something quite strange happened. The Sorting Hat's voice seemed to fade away, growing distant, and another voice joined it.

_Now, who are you? _the Hat asked.

_Someone best left alone, Hat. _The voice was familiar, in a way, and an image flashed through his mind, of a face much like his, but older, with blue-black hair instead of white and gray skin instead of pale.

Allen felt a chill run down his spine, and he knew, with a strange sort of instinct he didn't know he had, that this was him. This was Neah Walker, the 14th.

Neah Walker was inside his mind.

He didn't let the revelation show on his face, though he knew the shock would shine in his eyes, and he dropped his head slightly, looking down.

The Sorting Hat confirmed his suspicions. _Ah… Neah Walker, is it? Now that's not a mind I see every day. A Noah. _Its voice trailed off into a thoughtful hum. A shudder ripped through Allen and his fingers clenched around the sides of the stool.

"Allen?" Lavi asked slowly, a little worried. Allen glanced up at him and shook his head quickly, eyes a little wider than he'd like.

_If you're quite done waking me, Hat, I suggest you leave. _Neah sounded irritated, almost sleepy, like someone woken up too early.

_Very well, _the Hat conceded. _I'm not here to Sort you, anyway. I'm here to Sort Mr. Allen Walker. _Its voice grew stronger again as it emerged, leaving Allen more disturbed than before._ Even so, Slytherin may well be a good fit for you, Mr. Walker._

_If you think so, _Allen muttered numbly.

_Ah, yes, you were unaware of him, weren't you? _The Hat sounded slightly regretful here. _I suppose I must apologize for that. Slytherin may not be the best, anyway, because rising above all of that are other traits, traits that define the life you chose for yourself, rather than the hand you were dealt. So to speak, of course. Your personal ethical code, your courage, and your stubborn determination to save whoever you can will serve you best in…_

"Gryffindor!"

Lavi clapped as Allen smiled, relaxing slightly, as natural as if it were real. Dumbledore picked up the hat with a smile of his own.

"Now for you, my boy," Dumbledore said to Lavi, who nodded and took Allen's place on the stool, leaning back casually as the hat was placed on his head.

Allen leaned against one of the steadier bookshelves, looking up at the ceiling. With the attention off him, he let his expression fall into a pensive look, worry filling his silver-gray eyes, touched with fear, more than he'd like to admit.

Now that his attention had been drawn to it, he could feel the Noah's presence, dark and heavy in the back of his mind, watching, listening. How long had it been there? How long had Neah Walker been a part of his mind?

_I'm not a part of your mind, _Neah informed him, making Allen's eyes widen and his hand jerk slightly. _I'm just. You know. In it._

_That's just as bad, _Allen thought crossly, paling slightly.

_Look… _Neah gave the impression of an exasperated sigh. _Now really isn't the time for this. We can talk later, when this chaos you insist on inflicting upon yourself is over for the day._

_I'll hold you to that, _Allen thought, one fist clenching in unconscious fear. He did not want a Noah in his mind. He didn't even really want to talk about it, but… they would have to. For him to know.

If the Sorting Hat had not found Neah, how long would it have taken him to find out?

"Ravenclaw!"

The call made him jump, but it also forced him to return to Earth, eyes landing on a grinning Lavi, who stood and swept off the hat. As he returned it to its place on the shelf, Dumbledore clapped heartily.

"Wonderful!" the man exclaimed, beaming. "Truly wonderful!"

Allen smiled shakily, eyes flickering between two broad grins. Of course, he was the only one privy to the cataclysm that had racked his mind.

_Stop being dramatic, _Neah complained.

_I'm trying to keep it to myself, Neah, stop making it hard! _Allen snapped, with a little more force than intended. Neah fell silent. Allen brooded on the ease with which he'd accepted Neah's voice in his mind for as long as he felt himself able, which was a few seconds, and then took a deep breath and wrapped his smile around him like a veil, relaxing into a deceptively casual stance.

"What now?" he asked the headmaster.

"Now, we introduce you to the school," Dumbledore answered, eyes twinkling. As if nothing had happened. Allen felt shaken. He smiled. Nervously. That, he figured, could be excused at this point. Panic could not. He hoped Lavi didn't notice. "Then I will find myself a pair of those most excellent gloves. They really would be quite nice."

* * *

**Yeah, okay, want to know something interesting? That... that Neah thing, wasn't supposed to happen. No, really. Neah had no place in my original plot. So I'll have to juggle that around some to make it work, but it'll be alright, I think a few things work a bit better. *shrug* Allen has a lot of acting to do until he can be alone. *chuckle* So he's finally at Hogwarts and I hope you liked this chapter. Please review!**


	5. Look Over Your Shoulder

**A/N: And the Hogwarts chapters finally begin! Let's see what a mess I've made of them, huh?**

**Title: A History of Innocence**

**Author: liketolaugh**

**Rating: T**

**Pairings: None at present**

**Genre: Drama/Mystery**

**Warnings: Modern AU for D. Gray-man**

**Summary: In the Wizarding World, Innocence isn't as obvious, nor as earth-shaking as it is in the Muggle World. Still, when it does appear, it has a strong, long-lasting influence, something Allen discovers when he goes there to ward off akuma and search for Innocence.**

**Disclaimer: I only wish I owned D. Gray-man**

* * *

Dumbledore stood at the head of the table, with Lavi on his right and Allen on his left. Allen gave them a slight smile, though he was shifting almost imperceptibly from foot to foot, while Lavi just gave a cocky grin, green eye flickering across the four tables.

Dumbledore waited patiently for the chatter to die away, and, within a few moments, it did, and soon every student in the hall was looking at the three of them with undisguised curiosity.

Finally satisfied, Dumbledore spoke.

"I am aware," he began, voice ringing clearly through the hall and making Allen jump, "that announcements made during the school year are traditionally posted on the bulletin boards, with only a very few exceptions. This is one such exception.

"Today, we are receiving two exchange students from a school of unorthodox magic known as the Rose Cross Academy. Please welcome Lavi Bookman, who will teach remedial History of Magic – mandatory for all those not achieving a passing grade –" Here, he paused to allow the despairing moans to pass. "And Allen Walker, who will be joining Gryffindor House for his fifth year."

Some clapping scattered across one of the tables. Allen assumed it was Gryffindor.

Dumbledore sat down, and almost instantly, murmurs began to rise up from the students, accompanied by unashamed points and blatant stares.

"-strange-looking-"

"Never get new students in the middle of the year…"

"-look at his hair!"

"What's with his eye patch?"

"That _scar-"_

Lavi ignored them all, striding to his designated seat with his head held high and a cocky smirk on his face. Allen, on the other hand, picked his way down to the Gryffindor table, still smiling slightly. If you knew him well, though, you would notice his fingers twitching slightly with the urge to fidget with the hem of his glove.

Silver eyes flicked up and down the table, quickly locating an empty seat, which he made his way toward, ignoring the stares, as Lavi had. After all, he was long used to the stares.

Eventually, though, he reached the empty space, and looked hesitantly at the redheaded girl beside it.

"Is it alright if I sit here?" he asked her with a smile.

She looked up at him, having been one of the few not staring, and brown eyes flickered across his face, widening slightly before she gave him a smile and nodded. He smiled gratefully back and sat down beside her.

"I'm Ginny," she told him, eyes lingering for a moment before she looked back down to her breakfast. "Ginny Weasley."

"Allen Walker," he replied, giving her a faint smile before attempting to focus on his own meal, relegating Neah to the back of his mind, where the other man did his best to keep quiet, if only for now.

* * *

Ginny Weasley, Allen quickly decided, reminded him quite a bit of Lenalee, but a little less bitter and a little more fiery.

Her friend Luna, on the other hand, was just strange. Allen found that he liked it.

"Your hair is white," she informed him when they first met.

Allen smiled, a little awkwardly. "Yeah, I know."

"I like it," she decided, eyes unblinking and one hand reaching up to tangle its fingers in the snow white strands, making him start. "It's soft."

"Um… thanks?"

Luna just smiled at him and carefully pulled her fingers through his hair, gently untangling what knots she came across, while Allen continued to smile awkwardly.

Finally, she drew back and stated, "You look very nice. You shouldn't be so afraid to show yourself."

Allen's smile relaxed and warmed a little. "Alright," he agreed, wondering what it was about this girl that seemed to put him at ease.

She smiled at him. "Good."

Ginny wondered why it felt like she'd missed something.

* * *

"What's that?" Allen asked curiously, tilting his head as he looked at the half-eagle half-horse creature glowering at the students from beside the cabin. He flinched as he felt a stirring of interest in the back of his mind.

"What's- oh, that's right, you weren't here three years ago, were you?" Ginny looked at him and gave him a slight smile. "That's Witherwings, a hippogriff."

"A hippogriff," Allen muttered as Ginny looked back to the front. No further explanation was given.

"Gather 'round, gather 'round!" an extremely _large _man called from not far away, causing the fifth year Gryffindors and Ravenclaws to huddle closer, those further back trying to crane their necks and get a peek at whatever he was showing them. "Now, what we 'ave 'ere is a crup. Can anyone tell me what a crup is?"

"That?" Allen suggested, finally getting a look at what appeared to be a Jack Russell terrier. He flinched lightly as he heard something like a moan from somewhere in the back of his mind.

The man – Professor Hagrid, Allen recalled – laughed. "Right you are, Walker! But tha' isn't what I meant. Wha' makes a crup a magical creature?"

One of the Ravenclaw girls put up her hand. Hagrid grinned at her and nodded. "A crup is a wizard-bred breed. It looks like a Jack Russell terrier save for its forked tail, and will viciously attack any Muggle that approaches it, though it's intensely loyal to wizards."

"Good job, Ms. Mayden, ten points ta Ravenclaw." Hagrid looked back down to the patient-looking crup at his feet. "Now, as I was sayin'…"

The lesson went on, Hagrid explaining how to tell crups apart from Muggle dogs and how to tell when someone had one. Then he let them closer.

The crup did not like Allen. He frowned at this; it did not like him, but it didn't attack him, just sniffed at him suspiciously and barked.

He wasn't sure he liked the appraising look Hagrid gave him for the fact, either.

* * *

Allen sighed as the last class finally drew to a close, and he hurried out of Charms as quickly as he could. Lavi's fifth-year class was on Tuesdays, Allen recalled, so he didn't have to worry about that, at least not today.

"Ginny?" he started, looking at the girl beside him and keeping his unease from showing on his face. "Can you show me where the Common room is? Dumbledore said something about that…"

Ginny looked at him with some surprise. "What, now?" she asked rhetorically. But then she shrugged. "Sure."

She led him through the halls and then up one of the towers, finally drawing to a halt in front of a portrait of a large woman in a pink dress.

"This is the Fat Lady," Ginny explained to Allen, gesturing to the portrait. Allen tried not to stare; he'd long since noticed the rather _animated _nature of the portraits here. "She guards the Common room; the password's abstinence." Allen gave her an incredulous look and she grimaced. "Yeah, I know. She chooses them."

Allen shrugged as she cast him a grin and turned to leave. "Abstinence," he told the portrait, shifting.

"You're new," she commented, swinging open. "I expect to find out why!"

Allen grimaced slightly as he went through, the portrait swinging shut after him. He looked around, shifting slightly, almost impatiently. "Dormitories, dormitories," he muttered. He looked to the left and found a door, which he pushed open. On the other side were seven more doors, marked with the numbers one through seven, and he went through the one marked with a five, steps growing faster as he drew nearer.

Sure enough, one of the beds in there had his luggage at the foot of it, and he hurried over to it, drawing the curtains shut. Satisfied, he drew his knees up to his chin and rested his head on them, grey eyes clouding slightly.

"Alright, Neah," he murmured quietly. "Let's talk."

* * *

**So, sorry for those who were hoping for the Neah talk in this chapter, Neah... is a bit much for Allen to handle right now, considering he had to go to classes. Good thing Allen is good at pretending to be okay. *nervous chuckle* Well. The Neah talk is next chapter, so that'll be alright... please review! :)**


	6. Talk to a Stranger

**A/N: Okay. Neah's chapter. I warn you, liberties abound. But I think it's good.**

**Title: A History of Innocence**

**Author: liketolaugh**

**Rating: T**

**Pairings: None at present**

**Genre: Drama/Mystery**

**Warnings: Modern AU for D. Gray-man**

**Summary: In the Wizarding World, Innocence isn't as obvious, nor as earth-shaking as it is in the Muggle World. Still, when it does appear, it has a strong, long-lasting influence, something Allen discovers when he goes there to ward off akuma and search for Innocence.**

**Disclaimer: I only wish I owned D. Gray-man**

* * *

The feeling of a Noah, Allen realized distantly, was very different from the feeling of an Innocence. Where Crown Clown was hot power, fiery and intense, Neah felt smooth and cold, bordering on painfully icy, across the skin of his forehead and then deeper, spreading a chill across his entire mind.

And yet, in the same way that the feel of Innocence's power was strangely enthralling, there was something about the Noah as well, something enticing – and watchful, too, as if his mind was being awakened by the chill, made sharper, more alert.

Neah's voice was smooth, too, and soft, a warm contrast to the cold he brought.

_Your name is Allen Walker, correct?_

_Yes, _Allen confirmed, looking straight ahead. _And you're Neah. Mana's… Mana's little brother._

_Yes. _Neah sounded surprised. _How did you know that?_

_Mana was my foster father… Master Cross mentioned that you were his younger brother._

_I see. _Allen could almost hear Neah mulling over that, letting it fall into place within the Noah's mind. For a Noah, he seemed strangely… sane. _I didn't realize that. So then, Allen, you know who I am?_

_Yes. You're the fourteenth Noah, the one who went traitor._

_Traitor is an ugly word, Allen. And really, I was always different from the other Noah._

_But you still want to use my body._

_The ease with which you say that worries me,_ Neah told him, voice almost musing. _But yes, I would still need control of your body._

Allen's grey eyes sharpened, a furrow digging into his brow, a frown tugging at his mouth. _I won't let you. I'm an exorcist, Neah, and I won't let you make me work against that._

Neah seemed almost to stop short, at that. To pause. _Of course. I could feel your Innocence, and your friend's. I know you're an exorcist, Allen. I promise you, I'm not working against the Black Order. I'm just not working with them, either._

_I won't let you! _Allen's voice, albeit within his mind, turned forceful, tinged with fear and touched with anger. Mostly, though, there was just a firm, unwavering certainty.

Neah, sitting there in his mind, represented everything Allen feared – failure to protect, failure to keep walking, the loss of control over himself, everything that would ultimately end in people getting hurt, getting killed.

_Why _did Allen have a Noah in his mind? Innocence was one thing; to be bound to God's will was something Allen could understand, could tolerate. He understood what Innocence stood for, and what it stood for, he stood for also. Innocence was protection, it was safety, and order. It was controlling, yes, it was willful, but it was Innocence, and Allen understood that.

But a Noah was something completely different. Noahs were fear and pain and insanity, destruction and chaos. Not evil, no, but not something to be pitied, like the akuma. Just dangerous. The complete opposite of Innocence.

And he had both contained within him.

Allen suddenly lifted a hand to his mouth to muffle a desperate, slightly hysterical giggle.

Two demanding, ultimately opposed forces were in _him, _directing, or at least attempting to direct, his purpose, his reason for living, and, in the end, his life.

He laughed again, a little louder.

_Calm down, grasshopper. _Neah's voice had gained an edge of alarm. _I'm not going to make you._ Because it was becoming very clear that doing so would be extremely difficult and quite possibly an exercise in futility, and Neah didn't make a habit of doing those. _Look, grasshopper, just listen a moment._

Reluctantly, Allen did, trying to force himself to settle. And he did, even if his eyes were a little too wide, a little too bright.

_Do you know what memory I contain, Allen?_ Serious and careful. Neah knew he was treading on shaky ground, now, with Allen on a hair trigger.

Wordlessly, Allen shook his head, hysteria fading slightly in favor of a look of concentration, Neah's words grounding him and keeping him from losing himself in panicked thoughts.

_I contain Noah's memories of destruction._ Then, hastily, he continued. _This doesn't mean for me what it means for the other Noah. You know some of them: Road has dreams, Tyki is pleasure, Skinn is wrath, and so on. With me so far?_

Allen nodded.

_But all of those share one thing in common. Dreams create more dreams, wrath makes wrath, pleasure… can create either pleasure or pain, which suits Tyki just fine and is completely beside the point. You understand?_

Allen nodded again, a slight tilt of his head indicating confusion nonetheless. Where was Neah going with this?

_Destruction, grasshopper, is different. When something is destroyed, what comes after?_

Allen's eyes widened slightly, and he sat up abruptly as he understood, folded legs falling to the bed. _Creation. When something is destroyed, you create something to replace it._

_Exactly._ Neah sounded both pleased and satisfied that Allen had understood. _But the Noah, they've forgotten that. They want to destroy humanity and have nothing replace it, seeing as Noah can't exactly reproduce with each other, being family and all. I can't stand by that._

_And so you don't. _Allen's voice held understanding, but the hesitance remained. _I understand better now, but I still can't let you take my body._

Yeah, Neah had been afraid of that. _Explain, grasshopper. Your turn._

Allen sighed, leaning back to stare at the canopy over the four-poster, much more relaxed now, though his eyes were still a dim, dark grey. _I have a few promises that I have to keep. I promised Mana I'd keep walking; I promised Lenalee I wouldn't get hurt._

_Me taking over your body is not you getting hurt,_ Neah pointed out.

_Try telling Lenalee that, _Allen replied, almost wryly. He quickly turned serious again, though. _I also want to keep destroying akuma, setting them free. _A hum from his arm made him look down to it. _There's also Crown Clown… if you wanted even temporary control of me, you'd have to get him to agree. _He said nothing of himself.

_Right,_ Neah muttered gingerly. _Your Innocence… yes… I'll admit that's a problem._

_A problem, _Allen repeated. He chuckled softly. _Crown Clown is a lot of things, but he's never been a problem, not to me. _A hum of approval made him smile slightly, warmth working its way from his fingers to his chest.

_If I may suggest…_ Allen tilted his head slightly as Neah paused, considering. Neah knew when he was beaten. _Say I don't take control. Instead, I stay at the surface of your mind, and you listen to me when I talk to you. I can make suggestions, give advice, and tell you anything I think you need to know._

A moment of hesitation. _Alright. We… _Allen hesitated again, but pressed on. _We can work up to temporary control another time. When I trust you more._

If he could do it with Crown Clown, he could do it with Neah too… right?

Right?

Because after that, Allen got the impression that Neah smiled.

* * *

**Aaand the Neah talk. *smile* Lots of italics, haha. Please review and let me know what you think!**


	7. Wander 'Round the Corner

**A/N: Neah is SO CHATTY. I do not know why I did not realize this before.**

**Title: A History of Innocence**

**Author: liketolaugh**

**Rating: T**

**Pairings: None at present**

**Genre: Drama/Mystery**

**Warnings: Modern AU for D. Gray-man**

**Summary: In the Wizarding World, Innocence isn't as obvious, nor as earth-shaking as it is in the Muggle World. Still, when it does appear, it has a strong, long-lasting influence, something Allen discovers when he goes there to ward off akuma and search for Innocence.**

**Disclaimer: I only wish I owned D. Gray-man**

* * *

Allen stirred early in the morning, long before most of the occupants of the castle were awake.

_Morning, grasshopper._

Allen started, but his memory of the previous day hurried to fill in the gaps, and he relaxed with a smile that was more instinctive than anything. _Good morning, Neah._

_Did you know that your Crown Clown is a pushy little bugger?_ Neah asked conversationally. _Really. He is._

_Yes, I did, _Allen answered absently, pulling on his clothes. Then, about to pull his glove over his hand, he paused. _You can talk to Crown?_

_Yes,_ Neah confirmed. _He doesn't like me._

Allen smiled as Crown gave off a disgruntled reverberation, more familiar to Allen than the sound of his own voice. _Are you surprised?_

_No,_ Neah admitted. Pause. Then, almost cautious, _You seem better today._

Allen smiled. _I suppose I do, _he agreed easily. _I was just a little off-guard before, that's all._

And if he felt a little discontented himself at Neah's sudden suspicion, well, it was only because he wasn't used to being able to feel anyone but himself and Crown. Really.

Allen rubbed his left eye absently, wondering vaguely why it hadn't woken him during the night, but a grumble of his stomach prompted him to drop his hand and push his way out of the four-poster and into the hallway, keeping silent so no one woke.

Allen paused as he reached the common room; he hadn't taken the time to look the night before, and he took a moment now to smile at the intrinsically _warm _atmosphere it held, with its already-crackling fire and squishy-looking armchairs.

Soon, though, his stomach grumbled again, and Allen moved along, pushing open the portrait hole and stepping into the hallway, where he paused again.

Suddenly, he groaned, slumping slightly.

He had no idea where the Great Hall was.

With a sigh and a roll of his eyes, he turned and wandered aimlessly down the hall.

_Do you even know where you're doing?_ Neah demanded of him, exasperated.

_The Great Hall, _Allen answered vaguely.

_You're going the wrong way!_

_Am I? _Allen made no move to turn around.

Neah made a frustrated noise. _No, look, go this-!_

Allen felt a little tug at his chest, the same way he did on the rare occasion that Crown Clown directed him.

Allen paused. Neah stopped short. Silence hung heavy in his (their?) head.

Then he turned, following the pull, and let Neah guide him down the twisted path.

Allen tried not to think in metaphors for a reason.

Soon enough, he was in front of the doors to the Great Hall, and the tugging feeling disappeared.

Allen smiled.

_Thank you, Neah. _Polite.

Allen wondered how Neah managed to give him a suspicious look from inside his head. _You're welcome, grasshopper. It would be unfortunate if you starved._

Allen chuckled and pushed his way in.

A few students were inside already. Three Ravenclaws clustered on one end of the table, and a blond Slytherin was eating hastily, almost fervently.

Allen himself sat happily on an end of the Gryffindor table and ignored Neah's sputters as he gathered up a mound of food and set in on it.

He devoured it quickly, giving the table a slightly bemused look as it refilled the emptied spaces with an almost hasty air about it. Before long, Allen smiled and pushed back, intent on heading outside to train while he still could – Dumbledore had warned him and Lavi that there may not be many opportunities during the regular day.

Before he could, though, a voice stopped him in his tracks.

"Hey, beansprout!"

He turned around to see Lavi jogging toward him from one of the side doors. He tilted his head slightly. "Lavi?"

Lavi reached him within a few strides, breathing slightly hard, and hair plastered to his forehead. If Allen had to guess, he would say that Lavi had been up for some time already, and had just returned from showering after his workout. Hyper rabbit.

"You catch anything useful yet?" Lavi asked.

Allen shook his head; he'd been too distracted the day before to catch much of anything.

Lavi laughed. "Yeah, I guess not. Bit chaotic for hearing much of anything. Well, pay attention today, alright, beansprout? We're stuck here all year, but we may as well get the real work done early." He snorted, rolling his one visible eye. "Well, you, anyway. _I _have to watch Harry Potter."

"Who's that, anyway?" Allen asked him as he slung an arm around Allen's shoulders, leading him out.

Lavi snorted again, faintly amused. "Hell if I know. Some unfortunate prophecy victim – he's famous for it here, but no one'll tell me what he looks like. 'Just like his father, but with his mother's eyes' isn't as helpful as people seem to think it is."

Allen laughed, hearing a snort in the back of his mind.

"Let me know if you see him," Lavi added, abruptly letting go and hopping away.

Allen rolled his eyes at Lavi's hyper behavior and turned to exit out the castle's large doors. Outside, he looked around, wondering where to go. His morning routine wasn't much – he didn't need the extra support much, with how active he usually was – but he needed a good place, preferably where he wouldn't be seen.

Finally, his gaze settled on a cluster of trees by the lake, and he started to jog toward it, deciding it would work fine.

An hour later, Allen had finished, and his forehead was sticky with sweat as he headed back to the common room, following Neah's lead. Apparently, the Noah's sense of direction was far better than his own.

Allen stepped into the shower and started to wash away the grime from his workout.

_You sure know your way around, _Allen commented wryly to Neah, habitually avoiding so much as glancing at the mirror.

_I've been here before,_ Neah explained. _The Noahs were rather important to the Wizarding World in a few of the earlier incarnations… Well, I say earlier. Around a thousand years ago._

Allen shut the water off and paused, head tipping to the side slightly. _Really?_

Neah made a little hum of confirmation. _Yes. In fact, I believe Road had a hand in the design of Hogwarts._

"That explains a lot," Allen mumbled, pulling his gloves onto his hands and stepping out, fully dressed and hair still wet.

Neah chuckled. _It does, doesn't it? That was before, of course._

Allen smiled and stepped back out of the common room, set on wandering around in search of information.

"You still owe me that explanation, dearie."

Allen started slightly and turned to look at the slightly disgruntled but distinctly curious Fat Lady, who was frowning at him. He smiled sheepishly.

"I do, don't I?" He turned around completely, facing the portrait head-on. "I'm Allen Walker, a transfer student."

Half an hour later, it was the Fat Lady talking, tone low and conspiratorial.

"The things I've seen, dearie, you wouldn't believe."

Allen leaned forward slightly, gray eyes wide and interested, genuinely captivated.

"I'm a young portrait yet, just a few centuries old, but I get around, you see. _All _over the castle, I do believe I know nearly as many rooms as some of the ghosts." The Fat Lady looked quite pleased with herself.

"Like what?" Allen wanted to know.

"Well…" The Fat Lady tapped her chin thoughtfully. "There's one I've seen, in a different place every day-"

_Why are you talking to her for so long?_ Neah demanded of Allen.

_I'm being friendly and her stories are interesting! _Allen returned defensively, still listening to the pink-clothed portrait.

_No, you're hoarding information,_ Neah retorted with the eerie sort of insight Allen was gradually coming to expect from him. _And it's _creepy. _I bet she hasn't talked this much to anyone since she was alive. In then minutes she'll be telling you her life story!_

_Twenty, _Allen corrected absently, no longer really paying attention to the voice in his head. Never say that Allen was not adaptable.

Neah spluttered.

Twenty minutes later, the Fat Lady said to Allen, a fond smile on her face, "Oh, I remember when I was just a girl. I lived in the country, you know…"

That was about when Neah decided that he liked Allen. A few minutes later, he realized that this was a problem.

* * *

**I intended for a lot more to get done in this chapter... *muse* Oh, well. Please review!**


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